Today was a productive, successful 30 Day Challenge day. I completed *all* my logging. I think the last full logging day I had was a few days in September. I drank water throughout the day. First meal was a huge salad and a succulent pear, sweet like summer. I managed a 20 hour fast after completing the 34 hour fast with a five hour eating window.
Five Reasons to Make Healthier Choices
- Going to sleep earlier will give my eyes a rest! They are sore these days.
- Multiple big hugs today. Make me smile and stretch out my back.
- Fasting comes with innumerable benefits. Simply feeling better is absolutely one of them.
- I won’t have to flip off the Dr. Now picture on my fridge. That’s negative energy HA!
- Water – avoids the dehydration.
The primary challenge, more attentiveness to the spouse, was successful as well. I did a check in with him and he expressed that he felt his love language wasn’t being heard like he needed these days, as we have both been busier. I asked for example, which he bristled at initially, yet when I expressed I wasn’t clear on what he was asking for, he provided me examples. In past issues, I have reiterated that examples are critical to my understanding and help problem solving. I appreciated him providing some.
His concerns were relating to my frequent need to multitask. I thought I was doing well giving him my undivided attention when needed, however I have room for improvement. I often have the television on in the background. I don’t think much of it, but if I am constantly pausing the tv when he speaks, or asking for a moment to finish watching a segment before listening, that behavior is making him feel disregarded. We also do not watch many movies or shows together because our tastes are quite different, and I am a far more involved TV viewer than he is. He likes to watch a show with me next to him, without me also doing something on the computer. Since watching something together isn’t a common activity, I can see how that would be annoying. I genuinely appreciated the feedback. I asked him if he felt he was heard and he said he did. I don’t think what he is asking for is unreasonable in the slightest.
Part of the issue, from my perspective, is that I have been far more focused of late on my overall productivity. More writing. More dusting and other chores. Getting more of those onerous household tasks done, the ones that pile up in the background and get put off for weeks and months. I don’t think he is used to me being so busy. It’s my job to keep the home running, the meals cooked and the house clean, secondary to keeping him happy. The Sps works long hours and I am home to make the our place calm for all of us to snuggle into at the end of a busy day. This home IS our shelter from the storm. I want all here to feel welcome within it and I gain a lot of satisfaction from creating this comforting space.
The garden, and he, is my sanctuary. This house, and me, are his.
Grateful For:
-no Covid! Still.
-still early, but looks like Omicron is far less severe than the Delta variant.
-The Sps hates buying clothes for himself and is excruciatingly picky about clothing. But I found a pair of the shoes he likes, in his size, in stock and at a reasonable price. Heck yeah!
Godspeed y’all!
This content was previously written to ensure this was a true series, and to share insights.
Quick recap to orient the reader what is going on, the purpose of vlogging this process. The journaling is part of a 30 Day Challenge I started over a year ago. I consider that a component of the Future Self Journaling process. The gratefulness notes near the bottom of each self improvement post is also a specific and helpful part of Future Self Journaling.